Obama Sings 'Amazing Grace' at Memorial for Charleston Shooting Victim Rev. Clementa Pinckney
President, First Lady Attend Service for Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church Pastor
President Barack Obama delivered the eulogy of the Rev. Clementa Pinckney, the South Carolina state senator killed during a Bible study last week at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, and at the conclusion of his remarks, sang the negro spiritual "Amazing Grace."
Obama made "grace" a major part of his speech after acknowledging the work and accomplishments of the-late Pinckney, who was also the pastor of Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church and whom the president called "a man of God who lived by faith."
"We are here today to remember a man of God who lived by faith. A man who believed in things not seen. A man who believed there were better days ahead, off in the distance. A man of service who persevered knowing full well he would not receive all those things he was promised, because he believed his efforts would provide a better life for those who followed," Obama said, reports CNN.
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It was at the conclusion of his eulogy that Obama started singing "Amazing Grace," which brough the entire audience at the TD Arena in downtown Charleston to its feet.
Watch a clip of Obama singing "Amazing Grace" at the conclusion of his eulogy for Pinckney in the video player below:
“May God continue to shed His grace on the United States of America." —@POTUShttp://t.co/14Z3HnNi8v
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) June 26, 2015The Rev. Pinckney was among nine people killed during a Bible study at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church on June 17 by confessed gunman Dylann Storm Roof. Rooft, 21, reportedly told victims he was there to "kill black people." Roof has since been charged with nine counts of murder among other charges, and remains in detained on a $1 million bond.
Here are the full lyrics for "Amazing Grace," a song written by John Newton in the 18th century and adapted by African-Americans in the 1950s as a negro spiritual, or a religious hymn with special significance for the black community.
Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found;
Was blind, but now I see.
'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed.
Through many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
'Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.
The Lord has promised good to me,
His Word my hope secures;
He will my Shield and Portion be,
As long as life endures.
Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.
The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, who called me here below,
Will be forever mine.
When we've been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We've no less days to sing God's praise
Than when we'd first begun.
Watch the full video of the memorial service for the Rev. Pinckney in the player below:
